How SmoothHiring Handles Your Data & Privacy

SmoothHiring is committed to protecting your data and the personal information of your candidates. The Data & Privacy section outlines how your data is handled, your rights regarding data management, and the tools available to ensure compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR and other applicable laws.

Navigating to Data & Privacy

Direct URL: /employer/settings/account/data-privacy (or accessible from Settings)
Navigation: Click Settings in the left sidebar, then look for Data & Privacy options.

Data Protection Overview

SmoothHiring implements multiple layers of data protection:

Layer	Description
Encryption in Transit	All data transmitted between your browser and SmoothHiring servers is encrypted using TLS/SSL
Encryption at Rest	Sensitive data stored in databases is encrypted
Access Controls	Role-based permissions ensure users only see data relevant to their role
Secure Authentication	Password hashing, two-step verification, and session management protect account access
Regular Backups	Data is backed up regularly to prevent loss

Candidate Data Management

What Data Is Collected

When candidates apply through SmoothHiring, the following information may be collected:

Category	Examples
Personal Information	Name, email, phone number, address
Professional Information	Resume/CV, work history, education, skills
Application Data	Answers to screening questions, assessment responses
Interview Data	Scheduled times, scorecard evaluations, feedback
Source Data	Where the candidate applied from (job board, careers page, referral)

Data Retention

Active candidates: Data is retained while the candidate is in an active hiring pipeline.
Inactive candidates: Data retention follows your configured policies and applicable regulations.
Auto-rejection data: Records are maintained for compliance and audit purposes.

Your Rights as a Data Controller

As an employer using SmoothHiring, you are the data controller for candidate information. You have the right to:

Right	Description
Access	View all data stored for any candidate in your system
Export	Download candidate data in standard formats
Deletion	Remove candidate data when required (subject to legal retention requirements)
Correction	Update or correct inaccurate candidate information
Portability	Transfer data to other systems

Candidate Privacy Rights

Candidates who have applied to your jobs have the following rights:

Right	How It's Handled
Right to Access	Candidates can request a copy of their data through your support channels
Right to Deletion	Candidates can request their data be deleted ("right to be forgotten")
Right to Correction	Candidates can request updates to inaccurate information
Right to Object	Candidates can object to certain data processing activities
Right to Restrict	Candidates can request limitations on how their data is processed

Data Export

Exporting Candidate Data

You can export candidate data from various sections of SmoothHiring:

Individual candidate profiles — Download a specific candidate's complete information
Job applicant lists — Export all applicants for a specific job
Analytics data — Export hiring metrics and reports as CSV files

Export Formats

CSV — For spreadsheet analysis and import into other systems
PDF — For formatted reports (offer letters, shareable reports)

Data Deletion

Deleting Candidate Data

When a candidate requests deletion or when you need to remove data:

Navigate to the candidate's profile.
Use the appropriate deletion option.
Confirm the deletion.

Important: Some data may need to be retained for legal compliance (e.g., equal employment opportunity records). SmoothHiring will indicate if certain data cannot be deleted due to regulatory requirements.

Account Deletion

If you wish to delete your entire SmoothHiring account:

Contact SmoothHiring support.
Verify your identity as the account Owner.
All data will be permanently deleted after a grace period.

When candidates apply through your careers page or job postings, they consent to data processing by:

Submitting their application (implied consent)
Agreeing to terms during the application process
Acknowledging your privacy policy (linked on job postings)

Candidates who apply consent to receiving application-related communications.
Marketing or non-essential communications require separate opt-in consent.

Compliance Features

SmoothHiring provides tools to support GDPR compliance:

Feature	Description
Data Processing Agreements	Available upon request for enterprise customers
Data Subject Access Requests	Tools to locate and export individual candidate data
Right to Erasure	Ability to delete candidate data upon request
Data Minimization	Only collect data necessary for the hiring process
Purpose Limitation	Data is only used for recruitment purposes

SOC 2 and Security Standards

SmoothHiring follows industry security standards including:

Regular security audits
Vulnerability assessments
Incident response procedures
Employee security training

Connected Integrations

When you connect external apps (see Connected Apps), some data may be shared:

Integration	Data Shared
Google Calendar	Interview times, candidate names
Email (Gmail/Outlook)	Candidate email addresses, communication content
BambooHR	Candidate profiles, job data, assessment results
Video (Meet/Teams)	Meeting metadata

Job Board Distribution

When jobs are posted to external job boards, the following is shared:

Job title, description, requirements
Company name and location
Application link (candidates apply back through SmoothHiring)

Candidate personal data is NOT shared with job boards.

Security Incident Response

If a security incident affecting your data occurs:

SmoothHiring will notify affected users within 72 hours (per GDPR requirements).
Details about the nature of the breach will be provided.
Recommended actions will be communicated.
Remediation steps will be implemented.

Tips

Tip: Regularly review which Connected Apps have access to your data and disconnect any that are no longer needed.

Tip: Enable Two-Step Verification to add an extra layer of protection to sensitive candidate data.

Tip: When a candidate requests data deletion, process it promptly to maintain trust and comply with privacy regulations.

Tip: Keep your privacy policy up to date and ensure it's linked on your careers page and job postings.

Password & Security — Secure your account access
Connected Apps — Manage third-party data sharing
Account Information — Manage your personal data
Manage Users — Control who can access data

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